Military friendship
by Clovergirl18
Summary: Rainbow Dash and Twilight get called on a friendship mission to the military base on Equestria's northern border. What they find there is more than just strained relationships. When the duo unearth something that could spell doom for Equestria and its surrounding countries and with all communication outside the base cut off. It's a race against time to save Equestria
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone Clover here with my very first Mlp story. Anyways feel free to give reviews of this story. Also Mlp belongs to Hasbro/Lauren Faust**

Chapter 1: The mountain town

"Why'd the map have to send us all the way up north?!" Rainbow Dash said annoyed about having to go somewhere freezing cold with a broken wing. "Oh c'mon Rainbow like you've never wanted to visit one of Equestria's greatest and oldest military bases!" Twilight said excited about the trip. "Well I get that you're excited Twilight, I mean your brother's the head of the royal guard and he's the Prince of the Crystal Empire. Plus your dad served in some civil war between Equestria and a neighboring country a long while back. Military stuffs basically in your blood." Rainbow said rolling her eyes at how excited her friend was.

"I know but I've heard so many stories about the base up here from my dad that I'm excited." Twilight said as the train started to slow down. "What's so exciting about a shack and some tents in the mountains?" Rainbow asked obviously not seeing the point as she zipped her wonderbolts jacket up all the way. "It's not a shack and some tents, Fort Windaigo is the oldest and most advanced military outpost in all of Equestria. It's never been captured and well it's other name is _The Wall_. " Twilight said she was practically bouncing in her seat. "Okay I still don't see why I'm here." Rainbow said as Twilight zipped her own jacket up. "Well the wonderbolts are technically a branch of Equestria's military." Twilight said reminding Rainbow that she was also a soldier and not just an aerial performer.

"Oh right I kinda forgot about that." Dash said a little embarrassed about that. The train finally rolled to a stop at the station. "Well here we are." Twilight said as she and Rainbow got off the train and into an indoor station. "Wow fancy." Rainbow said looking around as they got there saddlebags off the floor and onto their backs. Rainbow had to be extra careful with hers due to her injury. The two left the station and were amazed at the small town. The buildings were made of bricks, and wood. The dirt paths were hardened due by years of use. Their was a drained fountain in the center of town. The grass was all dead and dried. It was definitely different than what they had been expecting. "Woah look at that I thought this place would be buried in snow." Twilight said surprised.

"Just cause we're in the mountains doesn't mean we're constantly buried in snow." A pony who was coming out of the train station said as he passed Twilight and Rainbow. The two looked sheepish at assuming about how the town would look. "Alright let's get up to the fort!" Twilight said as soon as she stepped on one of the concrete steps her hoof slipped and she fell. A nasty crack was heard. "You okay Twi?!" Rainbow called to the dazed alicorn who was now on the ground at the bottom of the steps. "I'm okay!" Twilight said as she stood up. That same movement revealed that her wing was broken. Twilight saw the broken wing and was immediately freaked out.

"Okay scratch that, I'm not okay!" Twilight said feeling freaked out and in pain. Rainbow carefully made her way down to Twilight. "That doesn't look good." Rainbow said gently lifting Twilight's injured wing. Twilight winced in pain. "Looks like we'll need to find a doctor before going up to the fort." Twilight said looking at the injury. "It actually doesn't seem that bad, I mean it kinda feels like a dislocation but yeah we should see a doctor just in case you have any impact fractures." Rainbow said examining the wing. "How do you know so much about wing injuries?" Twilight asked. "I've had a lot of different types of wing injuries from sprains to a shatter bone at one point.

I had to have this contraception keeping my wing straight up while the bone healed." Rainbow said letting go of Twilight's wing. "If yins wanna find a doctor there's one in town who's helped a lot of ponies. Dr. Ray's his name. He lives in that house across from the dinner, over yonder." A Pegasus with a light blue coat and a white mane and tail, with a blowtorch cutiemark, and wearing a brown jacket and goggles over his brown eyes said. He was pushing a couple clouds and had over heard the conversation and decided to chime in. "Oh thank you..." Twilight trailed off. "Forge feather." The pegasus said introducing himself. "And y'all might wanna hurry, we've got a big storm comin' in about an hour or so." Forge feather said as he pushed the two clouds into a large cloud bank. "Thanks!" Rainbow said as she started heading towards the house that was pointed out. "Thank you for the help!" Twilight called as she picked her saddlebags up with her magic. She trotted off after Rainbow Dash. Forge feather just smiled and shook his head. "City folk." He said to himself with a chuckle as he got back to work.

Rainbow and Twilight got to the house and knocked on the door. An old unicorn stallion with a greying auburn mane and a white coat, a test tube and syringe cutiemark, and glasses answered the door. "Can I help you?" The old stallion, once he opened the door and adjusted his glasses, asked, he looked tired. "Yeah my friend here fell down the stairs coming outta the station and hurt her wing. We were wondering if you could look at it." Rainbow said explaining the situation.

"*sighs* I keep telling those weather ponies they need to salt those stairs before they freeze over, not right before the annual blizzard." Dr. Ray said allowing the two mares inside. The cabin happened to be small it was definitely made for possibly a small family to live there. "You girls wait here my bag's in the other room." Dr. Ray said as he was leaving the room. "Do you have another patient?" Twilight asked she was curious. "Just one, a filly and some friends were playing near the edge of town when there ball went into the bushes.

The filly goes to get it and steps definitely on an old landmine from a skirmish years ago. The poor girl was knocked unconscious and she bleeding pretty bad when her friends got her here on there shield. The filly's lucky she's alive and that her front leg didn't get blown off." Dr. Ray said explaining the situation to Rainbow Dash and Twilight. "Is she gonna be okay?" Twilight asked concerned. "She'll be fine. Explosion based injuries are actually pretty common here since we're about a half hours trot away from fort Windaigo." Dr. Ray said shrugging a bit before he left the room. Rainbow Dash sat down in a chair while Twilight sat on the couch. The two waited in silence for a little while.

"Alright let me take a look." Dr. Ray said as he came back into the room with his bag. "Excuse me for taking so long. I was checking on the filly. She's still in stable condition." Dr. Ray said he then went over to Twilight and lifted her injured wing gently with his magic which was yellow in color. He examined the wing for a minute or two. "Well the good news is that it's not dislocated. The bad news is that it's an impact fracture and I have to reset it. Fair warning this is gonna be incredibly painful." Dr. Ray said as he gave Twilight and Rainbow the news of the injury. "Oh." Twilight said. Rainbow didn't say anything she was too busy looking around the house. It was small and kinda messy.

But what caught her eye was the picture frame on the table. She took a look and saw Dr. Ray and two other ponies in the picture both were earth ponies with blonde manws, one of them wearing it a braid while the other had it in a short style, light brown coats, the one with short hair was wearing a large suit of armor without the helmet, the one with the braid happened to have a metal right front leg, and back right leg, from what could be told from the picture, he also had a red coat on, the two also had yellow eyes. "Okay on the count of three I'm gonna reset the fracture." Dr. Ray said as Twilight took a deep breath as Dr. Ray held her wing in his hooves. "1 2 3!" Dr. Ray said rather fast as he twisted the wing with his hooves and held it in place with his magic. Twilight screamed in pain and Dr. Ray looked a bit drained. "That wasn't so bad now was it?" Dr. Ray said smiling as he wrapped Twilight's wing with hooves.

As soon as he was done and let go with his magic, Twilight folded her wings. "Alright try not to move it too much, the cast needs to set completely, it should be done setting in about ten minutes and no flying until I remove the cast." Dr. Ray said as he then made a pill bottle appear. "Also take two of these antibiotic painkillers per day, once before bed and once in the morning, and since it's still technically morning, you might wanna take one now." Dr. Ray said adding the last part as he checked the time. He then made a glass of water appear. Twilight used it and took her medication. The two left and decided to head across the street for lunch as it just turned noon. They got inside the small diner and took a seat in a nearby empty booth. The two sat across from each other.

Twilight set her saddlebags on the seat next to her on the inside. A waitress came over. She happened to be an earth pony with a yellow coat and red mane and tail. Her curly mane was tied back into a braid. Her tail also happened to be short. She has a pen and paper as her cutiemark. "Here you are, hi my name is ink well, and I'll be your server today!" The mare said pushing her glasses up so they were actually in front of her blue eyes after she put two menus down on the table. "Thanks." Rainbow said as she started looking over the menu. "So, Ink well, what're the specials?" Twilight asked deciding to make conversation with the young earth pony. According to the badge on her green shirt it happened to be her first day. "Oh! The special today is our homemade oat and carrot stu!" Ink well said she had gotten slightly flustered by the question since she had been about to walk away.

"Hey that sounds good! We'll both have a bowl of the oat and carrot stu with some of these delicious looking honey biscuits on the side and we'll both have a cup of coffee." Rainbow said ordering for both of them before Twilight even had a chance to look at the menu. Twilight wasn't happy about this but shrugged it off. She didn't blame Rainbow for ordering for her. Twilight has been told by her friends, family, and even other royals that she takes at least an hour to decide what to order and she discusses each option with the waiter or waitress. The two handed their menus back to Ink well who had just finished jotting down their orders.

She then headed to the kitchen in order to have their orders prepared. Twilight and Rainbow talked things over as they waited trying to make a plan on how to handle the friendship problem and what it could possibly be. Eventually Ink well came back with their order. She was somehow balanced on her back legs as she carried the tray with her front hooves. "Okay here's your oat and carrot stu, honey biscuits, and coffee, enjoy!" Ink well said as she placed each item on the table. "Thanks!" The two mares said smiling as Ink well walked away. The two began eating. It was actually really good! After a while the two finished there coffee.

Rainbow drinking her's black and Twilight having half a pint of milk, a spoonful of creamer, and three sugar packets in her's. Snow was starting to fall outside. "Can I get you anything else?" Ink well asked coming over with the check. "Just the check please." Twilight said remembering what Dr. Ray had and Forge Feather had said about a blizzard on its way. "Okay here you are. Pay up front please. I'm serious the owner, Mr. Hoofstrong's, up front and he doesn't take kindly to ponies who dine and dash." Ink well said she pranced a bit on the spot for a second. She looked on edge. "Oh, alright." Twilight said, she and Dash both were able to read her body language. Apparently something, unpleasant, had happened to the last pony who had tried leave without paying.

The two went upfront after grabbing their saddlebags and placing them on their backs gently and came face to face with a huge and very buff earth pony stallion. He was definitely a Clydesdale just judging by his build alone. He has a luxurious flowing blonde mane and tail, his coat was actually more of a light grey in color, his cutiemark happened to be a canon. He also has piercing blue eyes and a mustache. "Howdy!" The stallion boomed in a cheerful voice that could easily be mistaken for canon fire. "I understand you two had some of my wife and daughter's lovely stu!" The stallion said he sounded enthusiastic and proud.

"Yes sir!" Rainbow said since Twilight had actually been sent into a daze due to the sheer volume of his voice. Rainbow was used to hearing a loud voice due to Spitfire being her drill sergeant. Mr. Hoofstrong started laughing in a jolly manor. "Sir?! I haven't been called sir since my military days! Now a days everypony calls me Fireball!" The old stallion said laughing a bit.

"Fireball as in the Fireball as in father of the wonderbolt and drill sergeant Spitfire?!" Rainbow exclaimed excited. "Oh! You know my oldest daughter?!" Mr. Hoofstrong said surprised. "Yes Mr. Hoofstrong, sir, she's my drill sergeant in the wonderbolts!" Rainbow said she was trying hard not to fangirl. " I guess that makes you Rainbow Dash the rash, cocky, arrogant, reckless, and thick headed rising star!" Mr. Hoofstrong said retelling what Spitfire had said in her letters home. "She really said that about me?" Rainbow asked not sure if she should be offended or not. "Yes ma'am, but don't worry my little Sparky likes you by the sound of her letters. She uh, just has a more aggressive way of showing her affection. She gets that from her mother." Mr. Hoofstrong said with a smile. Rainbow immediately felt relieved.

Mr. Hoofstrong let out a chuckle. "Now then your total is 10 bits. I hope y'all don't mind that I gave you the military discount." Mr. Hoofstrong said as he opened the till as Rainbow handed over the bits. Twilight had finally come out of her daze. "Not at all, it's really an honor to meet you." Rainbow said smiling. "We need to get going." Twilight said checking the time. "WAIT!" A loud booming voice called out. Rainbow and Twilight were actually knocked to the ground by the force of the voice. The two got up in time to see a female pegasus with an orange coat and blazing red mane and tail that was tied back, bright orange eyes, and a flaming horseshoe cutiemark came out of the back.

She had something wrapped in a blue handkerchief being held by her wings. "Before you go I want you two to have some of my homemade apple pie on the house." The mare said smiling as she handed over the apple pie. Twilight took the handkerchief with her magic. "Thank you so much Mrs. Hoofstrong." Rainbow said smiling. "The pleasure is all mine deary." Mrs. Hoofstrong said smiling "After all Spitfire has said great things about you Rainbow Dash." Mrs. Hoofstrong said smiling fondly. "That's actually great to hear even though Spitfire said she doesn't pick favorites." Rainbow said. "Well both my little girls do have their favourite ponies." Mrs. Hoofstrong said grinning.

"Both?" Rainbow said she didn't know that Spitfire had a sister. "Oh you've already met her, she was the one who was waiting your table." Mrs. Hoofstrong said smiling. Ink well was actually wiping down a nearby table. Rainbow and Twilight thanked the Hoofstrong family again and headed out of the diner. "Okay now we need to find the path up to the base." Twilight said putting the apple pie away. "If it's the path you're lookin' for I can help ya." An earth pony said trotting over. He had a cart hooked up to him. He has a dark maroon coat, a gray mane and tail, an axe cutting a log cutiemark, gray eyes, and he was wearing a black wool hat and a jacket. "The names Timber jack." The earth pony said smiling as he approached the two mares.

"I was just about to head out to head out into the field to help with removing the last of the landmines from the field that a filly and her friends found." Timber jack said. "Is the base on the way to the field?" Twilight asked. "Yeah, the field is actually just across from the path to the base, about a twenty minute walk from here. 10 if ya gallop. But I can give y'all a ride there on my cart if y'all want." Timber jack said offering. Rainbow and Twilight looked at each other as if asking_ "Should we?"_

A few minutes later...

Rainbow and Twilight were sitting on in the back of the Timber jack's cart. The two noticed blood splatters on the ground that was getting covered in snow. They immediately knew it was that poor filly's blood. They stopped at the beginning of a path that went up appeared to slowly go up hill. "Alright here you are ladies." Timber jack said as the two climbed out. Twilight used her magic to set her and Rainbow's saddlebags on their backs. They said there farewells to Timber jack who headed into the field and immediately began barking orders. Rainbow and Twilight headed up the path as the snow and wind began to pick up.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The wall

Twilight and Rainbow Dash dug their hooves into the ground as the storm raged around them. "Ugh...We have to get outta this storm Twi!" Rainbow called barely able to see through the storm. "I know! But I can't teleport! Something's been blocking most of my magic since we stepped off the train!" Twilight called back as a gust of icy wind nearly knocked them down.

Twilight and Rainbow climbed higher, both of them unaware that they had strayed off the path. Suddenly the ground beneath their hooves started shaking. Twilight lit her horn in an attempt to see what was happening. She gasped in shock as she managed to see what was the cause of the shaking. That's when she heard the loud and closing in rumbling. "AVALANCHE!" Twilight yelled. Both mares turned tail and ran down the mountain trying to out running the crushing mass of snow, ice, and rock.

Loud hoofsteps cut through the noise of the avalanche. Twilight and Rainbow were now clinging to a dead tree the two had gotten partially caught in the avalanche. The hooded pony jumped a log and landed in front of the tree. The mysterious pony let loose a blast of magic that parted the snow. Another hooded pony threw a rope to Twilight and Rainbow. "Grab on!" The other hooded pony called to Rainbow and Twilight. The two mares managed to grab the rope and the hooded pony managed to pull them up to him and unfurled his wings one of which was obviously mechanical as he pulled Rainbow and Twilight into the air and get them both to the huge metal fort resting between two mountains.

"Wait what's gonna happen to that unicorn out there?" Twilight asked as soon as they were outta the snow storm. "Commander Mark maker will be fine. He's faced worse." The Pegasus said pulling his hood down revealing he has a gray coat, a blue mane that was tied back in a short ponytail and he has piercing red eyes. "Anyways what were the princess of friendship and the element of loyalty doing out in a blizzard?" The stallion asked after giving Twilight a respectful bow and saluting Rainbow Dash since she's technically a soldier.

"We were coming up to the base to solve a friendship problem when we got caught in the stomach." Twilight said answering the Pegasus. "What happened to your wing?" Rainbow asked earning herself a nudge in the side from Twilight. "Oh it got shredded during a battle and I haven't seen anyone having an friendship problems." The Pegasus answered. "Oh my name's Cross Shot btw." The stallion said introducing himself. "It's nice to meet you Cross Shot, I'm Twilight Sparkle and this is my friend Rainbow Dash." Twilight said introducing herself and Rainbow. "It's an honor to meet you both. Anyways if you'll follow me I'll show you were the medic is." Cross Shot said as he began leading the two as Mark Maker returned to the base.

"Why do we need to see the medic?" Twilight asked as they walked along. Rainbow and Twilight noticed how warm the base was along with how nice it was. "You were both exposed to extreme temperatures. Also it's just a precaution to make sure you weren't injured." Cross Shot said as they walked further into the base.


End file.
